My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1348 The Truth
Although they are far apart, their hearts are always closely connected, just like the power of the stars that spans the universe and cannot be stopped.

The sea of ​​the Persian Gulf was sparkling. Zhou Xing was driving a merchant ship loaded with silk and porcelain, heading towards Ling State. Suddenly, the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind was howling, and a storm came without warning. The waves surged like a hill, hitting the hull fiercely. The merchant ship was like a fallen leaf in the turbulent sea, and was in danger of capsizing at any time.

Zhou Xing steered the ship vigorously, his face full of anxiety and determination. However, a huge wave hit the merchant ship and it hit the reef. The hull was torn apart in an instant, and the cargo and debris splashed in the sea. Zhou Xing held a piece of broken wood and struggled desperately in the sea, his consciousness gradually blurred.

Ling Xue was dressed in casual clothes, patrolling the rocky beach with several guards. She saw the shipwreck scene from afar, and rode into the sea without hesitation. The waves submerged the horse's belly, but she was not afraid at all, and directed the guards to rescue the crew members who fell into the water. In the chaotic crowd, her eyes fell on Zhou Xing. At this time, Zhou Xing had fainted, and one hand was still tightly protecting half a piece of blood-stained silk.

Ling Xue had Zhou Xing rescued to the shore and carefully examined his injuries. While looking through his goods, she found the Northern Frontier military deployment map in the interlayer. Her hands trembled slightly, and a trace of vigilance flashed in her eyes. But seeing Zhou Xing's pale face and weak breathing, she still used gold medicine to stop his bleeding. Seeing Zhou Xing still muttering "The tribute to the court cannot be delayed" in his coma, Ling Xue had a different opinion of him in her heart.

After Zhou Xing recovered from his injury, he was summoned to the imperial study. The emperor sat on the dragon throne and looked at him sharply. Zhou Xing knelt on the ground and reported in detail the incident at sea. The emperor stroked the map and suddenly asked: "Since you are familiar with the languages ​​of thirty-six countries, how come you don't even know how to identify the position of the moon phase?" Zhou Xing was startled and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It turned out that the emperor had already sent someone to investigate his background.

Ling Xue came to the inn where Zhou Xing lived late at night. She gently pushed open the door and saw Zhou Xing drawing a sea chart under candlelight. On the sea chart, the ink was not yet dry, marking a private merchant route that avoided the imperial tax station. Ling Xue's heart moved, and she deliberately let the cinnabar ink on her sleeves. Zhou Xing looked up and saw that it was her. He tried to cover something in a panic, but it was too late.

The Third Prince set up a banquet in the Imperial Garden and invited Zhou Xing and Ling Xue. During the banquet, the Third Prince deliberately mentioned the war horses lost at sea, and there was a hint of temptation in his eyes. Zhou Xing was startled, he looked at Ling Xue, then used silver chopsticks to dip in wine and drew the flag pattern of the East China Sea pirates on the green jade table. Ling Xue's heart trembled, and she instantly understood his hint.

Ling Xue disguised herself as a merchant and went to the black market with Zhou Xing. There were all kinds of people here, and all kinds of strange things were available. Zhou Xing took Ling Xue to a corner and met a Japanese merchant who smuggled sandalwood. He bargained with the Japanese merchant in code, but the badge of the Princess's Mansion was hidden in his sleeve. Ling Xue was a little confused, but she didn't say anything.

The two were ambushed on their way home. The masked assassins were very skilled and shot arrows like rain. Zhou Xing did not hesitate to stand in front of Ling Xue and block the arrows for her. In the fierce fight, Zhou Xing suddenly tore open his clothes, revealing the tattoo mark on his chest. Ling Xue was shocked and heard Zhou Xing growl: "A lowly merchant is worthy of admiring the moon?"

On a rainy night, the two hid in a dilapidated temple. Zhou Xing baked the sea map with a fire, and then confessed to Ling Xue: the imperial merchant Zhou family is actually the descendant of criminals, and generations have been guilty of meritorious service. Ling Xue listened with mixed feelings. She suddenly pulled out a hairpin, scratched the old wound on Zhou Xing's shoulder, and whispered: "This scar looks very much like the traitor that my father stabbed to death."

The emperor suddenly issued an order, ordering Zhou Xing to escort Ling Xue to marry. In the court, everyone was silent, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people breathless. Zhou Xing looked up and saw the poisonous mushrooms floating in Ling Xue's glass cup. His heart tightened, and he pretended to overturn the wine cup, secretly defusing the crisis.

At the East China Sea Altar, Ling Xue was held hostage by pirates. She was not afraid and stabbed the pirate leader's throat with her golden hairpin. Zhou Xing held her bloody hands. Zhou Xing looked at her and said affectionately: "Princess, you know that the ballast stones of merchant ships are more stable than the keels of dragon boats." Ling Xue's heart moved and she felt the warmth in his hands.

Zhou Xing returned to his residence and opened the ancestral wooden box. Inside was a yellowed marriage certificate and a broken hairpin. The old housekeeper choked up and said, "Twenty years ago, when my wife jumped into the sea, the wind and rain were the same as today." Zhou Xing felt a sharp pain in his heart. He looked at the wind and rain outside the window and fell into deep thought.

When the war report came, the capital was in danger. Zhou Xing made a prompt decision, sank half of the merchant ships, and wrapped the gunpowder with silk soaked in tung oil, ready to blow up the enemy ships. Ling Xue stood on the top of the city, watching his busy figure, her heart full of admiration. She suddenly took off the Nine Di Crown and lit the signal fire.

Under the city wall, Zhou Xing negotiated with the enemy. He used the Ling dialect to mix proverbs from various countries, trying to confuse the enemy. When the enemy commander was about to order the arrows to be shot, he found that Ling Xue was using a glass mirror on the top of the city to reflect the sunlight, which burned his eyes. The enemy was in a commotion, and Zhou Xing took the opportunity to arrange the next plan.

The two were trapped in the dungeon, and Zhou Xing used a hairpin to carve a star map on the blue brick. He pointed to the location of the North Star and said to Ling Xue: "The ground vein here connects to the imperial mausoleum, and it will be flooded in two days when the tide rises." Ling Xue was shocked and admired Zhou Xing's wisdom even more.

The reinforcements finally arrived, but Zhou Xing made a surprising decision. He activated the shipwreck mechanism, and the bronze gate on the seabed slowly opened. The jewels accumulated over a hundred years filled the river with the ocean currents, blocking the enemy's attack. Ling Xue walked in the morning mist, holding the faded marriage certificate in her hand.

On the deck of the imperial ship, the emperor looked at Zhou Xing and Ling Xue, feeling a thousand emotions in his heart. He granted Zhou Xing and Ling Xue a marriage, and poured all the South China Sea pearls that the princess's mansion had brought as a dowry into the sea. The pearls rolled in the waves, like the flow of stars. Zhou Xing walked to the side of the ship, silently took out his mother's broken hairpin, and threw it into the sea.

Many years later, a ballad was sung by the caravan: "The blue bird boat carries the bright moon, and the glass cup reflects the Milky Way." Someone saw a white-haired merchant in the Persian Gulf teaching children to use shells to piece together the map of Ling State, while the woman beside him was sticking gold foil to the trajectory of the stars. Their love is like the silk bond of the vast ocean, which has gone through wind and rain but is still bright.

A few years passed in a flash, and Zhou Xing's surveying mission finally came to an end. He couldn't wait to drive the spacecraft towards the space station where Ling Xue was. When he landed on the space station again, his heart was full of excitement and nervousness. The moment the hatch opened, he looked around for the familiar figure. Suddenly, he saw Ling Xue standing in the crowd, still so beautiful, but with some traces of time and longing in her eyes.

Zhou Xing walked quickly towards Ling Xue, without saying a word, and just hugged her tightly. Ling Xue burst into tears in Zhou Xing's arms, releasing all the thoughts, worries and grievances she had felt over the years. Their embrace seemed to last for a century, and everything around them became blurred, leaving only the sound of each other's heartbeats and breathing.

"I'm back and I'll never leave you again." Zhou Xing whispered in Ling Xue's ear, his voice trembling. "Stupid, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Ling Xue raised her head and looked into Zhou Xing's eyes, which were full of love and blame.

Since then, Zhou Xing decided to give up his interstellar surveying and mapping work. He applied to the headquarters for a transfer to a space station near Ling Xue. Although this meant giving up some of his personal dreams and pursuits, he felt that nothing was more important than being with Ling Xue. The headquarters understood his choice and approved his application.

Zhou Xing and Ling Xue began their new life in the space station. During the day, Zhou Xing would work in the technical department of the space station, using his professional knowledge to maintain the various equipment and systems of the space station; at night, he would come to the kitchen to help Ling Xue, and the two of them would prepare dinner for the guests of the space station. Their days were plain and happy. In this vast universe, they snuggled up to each other and jointly managed their love home.

As time went by, their feelings grew stronger. They would walk in the garden of the space station, admiring the exotic flowers and plants growing in a zero-gravity environment; they would look up at the stars together on the observation deck, looking for memories of the interstellar adventures they had experienced together; and they would carefully prepare a surprise gift for each other on every special day.

However, even a peaceful life can be disturbed. One day, the space station suddenly received a distress signal from a distant galaxy. An exploration spacecraft encountered an unknown interference while crossing a mysterious nebula, and the spacecraft lost control, leaving the crew members in doubt about their lives. As the only rescue force in the nearby area, the space station immediately organized a rescue team.

Zhou Xing joined the rescue operation without hesitation. With his rich experience in interstellar navigation and superb flying skills, he drove the rescue spacecraft towards the scene of the incident. Ling Xue stood on the platform of the space station, looking at Zhou Xing's departing back, her heart filled with worry and uneasiness. She silently prayed that Zhou Xing would return safely, just as she had prayed for him when he left.

While crossing the mysterious nebula, Zhou Xing's rescue spacecraft encountered strong energy fluctuations and complex magnetic field interference. The spacecraft's instruments began to malfunction and communications were interrupted. Zhou Xing fell into an unprecedented predicament, but he did not give up. He calmly dealt with various emergencies and relied on his intuition and courage to move forward in this dangerous nebula.

After a long and arduous effort, Zhou Xing finally found the out-of-control exploration ship. However, the scene in front of him shocked him greatly. The hull of the ship had been severely damaged, and the crew fled in chaos. Zhou Xing quickly launched a rescue operation. He docked his rescue ship with the exploration ship and organized the crew to evacuate.

Zhou Xing escorted the silk fleet and slowly docked at the Lingguo port. He was wearing a merchant's uniform and was carefully checking the cargo list. Suddenly, a group of pirates came out of nowhere, holding sharp blades and fierce eyes. Zhou Xing was startled, but his years of overseas trade experience made him calm down instantly. He quickly directed the guards to deal with the pirates.

Just when the two sides were deadlocked, a woman came riding a horse. She was dressed in red, and her horse was stomping on the dust, looking heroic. She pulled the bowstring to its full extent, and shot three arrows at once, neatly shooting down the pirate leader. Seeing this, the pirates immediately lost their composure and fled.

Zhou Xing looked up and saw the jade pendant on the woman's waist was engraved with the Ling Kingdom's royal emblem. He was moved and realized that this woman was of extraordinary status.

At night, the palace held a banquet to thank Zhou Xing for saving his life. Ling Xue quietly came to the side corridor of the banquet hall. She was full of curiosity about Zhou Xing, the imperial merchant. At this time, Zhou Xing was concentrating on repairing the nautical chart that was torn by pirates. Ling Xue walked closer and inadvertently caught a glimpse of the hand-drawn star tracks in the insert of the map.

"Where did you get this star map?" Ling Xue couldn't help asking. Zhou Xing raised his head and saw a beautiful woman, so he politely replied, "This was given to me by a master when I was traveling overseas." Ling Xue's eyes flashed with surprise, and she asked again, "Do you know the ancient method of spinning shark silk?" Zhou Xing shook his head, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

At this time, the music suddenly stopped. It turned out that an assassin had sneaked into the banquet hall, and his target was Ling Xue. Zhou Xing reacted quickly, and under the pretext of serving dishes, he used a silver knife to block the poison arrow flying towards Ling Xue. The two cooperated tacitly and took down the assassin. While investigating the assassin, they found that the assassin was carrying the pearl of Ximing Kingdom. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue looked at each other and realized that this matter was not simple. It seemed that there was a mysterious force surging in the dark.

In the imperial study, Ling Xue looked at the Ximing pearl in her hand with a frown. She said to Zhou Xing, "My father is seriously ill recently, and the situation in the court is unstable. I need you to use your status as an imperial merchant to thoroughly investigate the Imperial Hospital." Zhou Xing nodded and said, "Don't worry, Princess. I will arrange it right away."

During the investigation, Zhou Xing discovered a hidden stake. He took advantage of the situation and deliberately leaked the fake account book. Ling Xue disguised herself as the daughter of a drug dealer and went deep into the market to collect evidence. After some efforts, she finally exposed the prime minister's embezzlement of disaster relief money. However, in the process, they gradually fell into a bigger conspiracy.

On a moonlit night, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue came to the observatory to have a secret talk. Zhou Xing showed the missing half of the star disk, and Ling Xue was surprised to find that the half of the star disk matched the pattern of the broken jade she had worn around her neck since childhood. They realized that there must be a huge secret hidden in it.

In order to find out the truth, the two of them rode a carriage out of the city. On the way, they were suddenly ambushed. The carriage was in danger, and Zhou Xing acted decisively and used the caravan's codeword to lure out the hidden guards. After a fierce fight, they were temporarily out of danger, but they were all injured.

Ling Xue was shot in the shoulder, and her clothes were stained with blood. Zhou Xing felt so distressed that he tore open his clothes and bandaged Ling Xue's wound. Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing's focused expression, and a ripple appeared in her heart.

Zhou Xing decided to demonstrate the overseas double bookkeeping technique with an injury, in order to teach Ling Xue some business and accounting skills. When Ling Xue was learning to calculate, her hair accidentally caught on the abacus. Zhou Xing was flustered and broke the purple brush. Ling Xue's cheeks turned red, and Zhou Xing was also a little embarrassed. The atmosphere between the two became subtle.

In order to find out the truth about the leak of the military ship blueprints, Ling Xue disguised herself as Zhou Xing's concubine and boarded Zhou Xing's merchant ship. On the ship, the waves were rough and the ship was bumpy.